


Welcome to Social Media

by NicNack4U



Category: Hey Arnold!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst with a Happy Ending, Crying, Domestic Fluff, Don't copy to another site, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Phoebe Heyerdahl/Helga Pataki, Established Relationship, F/F, Femslash, Femslash February, Femslash February 2021, Girls Kissing, Happy Ending, Hugs, International Fanworks Day 2021, Kissing, Misogyny, Post-Canon, Racism, Romantic Fluff, Social Media, Teenagers, wlw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:02:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29191977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NicNack4U/pseuds/NicNack4U
Summary: Helga had then practically begged Phoebe to join social media, saying that if anyone had a problem with her girlfriend, then they could say it to her face, along with her fists.Phoebe had smiled and giggled, then shared a hug and a kiss with her. They teamed up together to create accounts for the shorter girl, after taking a few cute and silly selfies, together and apart.Helga suggested one photo she liked of her that she just took, as her first profile picture. In the photo, Phoebe was looking out through her bedroom with a happy, content grin, sunlight streaking through, making Phoebe's hair and eye color look like a light brown mixed in with several other hues."Beautiful," Helga breathed. "You're beautiful, Pheebs. Inside and out. Your inner beauty shines through to the outer parts of you. You're like a painting come to life. A true work of art. A masterpiece."Phoebe's eyes widened as she inhaled a sharp intake of breath and ducked her head down as she blushed. "Oh, Helga. You always say the most beautifully poetic things to me."
Relationships: Phoebe Heyerdahl/Helga Pataki
Kudos: 3





	Welcome to Social Media

Phoebe stared at her smartphone's screen, seemingly seeing through it rather than actually seeing what was on the page of the device. Just an hour earlier, she'd posted a selfie. And she looked cute, and dare she think it - _cute_. Her lifelong friends and even her best friend/girlfriend, Helga, thought so, too. 

Admittedly, it gave her quite the ego boost, not that she needed it, anyway. She knew she was pretty. That never mattered to her, though. She valued her brain and her smarts above her looks. And so did Helga. Phoebe senses a loving, shy smile stretch from ear to ear as she remembered how Helga always praises Phoebe's smarts in her usual beautifully poetic, romantic, loving manner. 

So, therefore, she didn't need others' approval. Not for her smarts, her looks or anything. Then came the time when Helga goaded her girlfriend into creating social media accounts. Phoebe declined at first, stating it unnecessary to gain others' attention and approval. 

Helga had then practically begged Phoebe to join social media, saying that if anyone had a problem with her girlfriend, then they could say it to her face, along with her fists. 

Phoebe had smiled and giggled, then shared a hug and a kiss with her. They teamed up together to create accounts for the shorter girl, after taking a few cute and silly selfies, together and apart. 

Helga suggested one photo she liked of her that she just took, as her first profile picture. In the photo, Phoebe was looking out through her bedroom with a happy, content grin, sunlight streaking through, making Phoebe's hair and eye color look like a light brown mixed in with several other hues. 

"Beautiful," Helga breathed. "You're beautiful, Pheebs. Inside and out. Your inner beauty shines through to the outer parts of you. You're like a painting come to life. A true work of art. A masterpiece."

Phoebe's eyes widened as she inhaled a sharp intake of breath and ducked her head down as she blushed. "Oh, Helga. You always say the most beautifully poetic things to me."

Helga gently lifted her head up. "Because it's true, Pheebs." She shrugged. "Wouldn't tell you all this stuff if I didn't mean it. And I do mean it. You're beautiful inside and out. I love you, Phoebe."

Phoebe squeaked, then giggled. "I love you too, Helga. Thank you."

It was settled, then. Phoebe posted her selfies online and made the one they both liked as her profile picture. She got Likes and great comments from her family and friends (Harold, Stinky and Sid's being the most hilarious). 

But then, she began to get other comments from people she had never met before. Some were random, some others were nice (her hair and eyeglasses being the main feature these strangers seemed to enjoy), but then she got _those_ comments. 

The comments that are the bane of social media existence. Half of them were quite lewd, with commentary on what they'd like to do to her while her glasses were the only things she was wearing. That made Helga scowl and growl. She balled up her fists so tight at her sides that her knuckles began to crack. 

"Shh, Helga, shh," Phoebe tried to soothe her girlfriend. "While these comments are quite inappropriate, especially since they're from strange, older men, they don't really bother me all that much. Yes, they are gross, but they do not know me and I do not know them. Therefore, they can say whatever they like because..."

She sent Helga a wicked grin, winked, then turned back to the screen. Helga raised her brow. "Because....?"

Phoebe giggled evilly, which equally impressed and scared Helga a little. 

Phoebe continued, "Because I can just delete their comments and block these people!"

Helga stared at Phoebe for a long moment, impressed. She cleared her throat and smirked. "Pheebs, you're awesome."

The shorter girl winked. "I know."

Helga scoffed in disbelief. "Hey! You just Han Solo'd me! Don't Han Solo me!" She smirked. "Besides, I'm the one who's Solo, and you're Leia."

"Sure, Helga. Of course," Phoebe giggled again. Helga shot her a playful side-eye, then hit her over the head with one of a few pillows Phoebe had on her bed. 

"Oof!" Phoebe landed on her back, laughing. She sat up and grabbed a decorative pillow. "Alright, Pataki. Pillow fight: On!"

Some time later, they sat together side by side on the shorter girl's bed, now calm again. They were reading new comments Phoebe's pictures got. These ones, unfortunately, were even more terrible than the last. These people called her terrible names like "Four-Eyed Freak of Nature", and "Four Eyes", and "Freak", and one person even called her ugly, using racist and derogatory language. 

There were sexist, eye-rolling worthy comments too, telling her to go to the kitchen and make some sandwiches, and telling her she should be cleaning the house. 

And, of course, there were comments from the homophobes. They said God was going to send her to Hell, and to repent and find Jesus before it was too late for her. These people also loved telling her that she was just confused and/or just faking her love for Helga for attention. 

All of these comments, of course, upset poor Phoebe and angered Helga anew. 

"How dare they," Helga seethed while Phoebe cried in her arms. "How can they just - ? And isn't God all about peace, love, kindness and all that hippie-dippy shit? Then why -? How can anyone who claims to love God be racist, misogynistic and homophobic? I just don't understand it."

She held Phoebe tighter to her as the smaller teenager cried harder. It would take some time, a few minutes, for Phoebe to calm down. Helga soothed her as much as she could. She rubbed Phoebe's back in soothing circles and kissed the top of her head. 

Phoebe sniffed and pulled away from Helga, wiping the tears from her eyes and face. She then cleared her throat. 

"Pheebs?" Helga frowned, worried. "You ok now?"

Phoebe nodded. "I will be." She smiled sadly and shrugged. "While it is disappointing those attitudes still exist in this day and age, I am happy that efforts are being made to move forward, away from all that. I'm happy I obtained some great comments, especially from our friends and my family. In the end, you are all that matter to me, because you all know me best and love me for me."

Helga nodded and smiled. "Damn right we do! Now, let's pig out while watching a movie. You pick what we watch, I'll get the grub."

"Picking!"

Helga and Phoebe giggled, shared a kiss, then prepared to watch a movie together. 


End file.
